Chairman Steve Hamer has appealed for patience as Bristol Rovers continue to work towards a commitment to deliver a new stadium.

The club are in negotiations to build a 21,700 all-seat stadium on land currently owned by the University of West England in Stoke Gifford.

Hamer says the club are "doing all we can" to conclude a deal with UWE "sooner rather than later" – but has appealed for an end to continued "public commentary" regarding the plan that was first conceived under the old regime in 2011.

Hamer said: "When we came into the club last year we inherited a project that involved three parties. They were Bristol Rovers, Sainsbury's and UWE. Two of those parties (old regime and Sainsbury's) have now left the table.

"We inherited a position that wasn't our blueprint and it has taken a period of time to unravel that and to get to the table with what we believe is the way forward with our friends at UWE.

"People keep asking us about a timeline and when there will be an announcement. All I can say is that there is a timeline and that is before August 2017 when the planning expires.

"We will work and do all we can to conclude the deal and hopefully we will be able to do that sooner rather than later.

"If it doesn't happen, the owners of this football club will be really devastated, but I think we have to stop all this business of what news and when.

"Daily commentary does not help when a public body and a private company are trying to get this deal done.

"Both parties are fully committed to seeing this through to completion, but it has to be an agreement that suits everyone involved."

'This is not as simple as throwing a conservatory up in the back garden'

When asked about a possible timeline, Hamer replied: "I don't want to put a timeline on anything because then you are leaving yourself open to being accused of misleading people.

"This is not as simple as throwing a conservatory up in the back garden. It is the construction of a multi-million pound stadium at a university where the landscape is changing every day.

"They have to be certain that they can accommodate a stadium as was the plan of seven or eight years. We all have to get it right."